FXX's Legit

The Best Show You're Not Watching Is Legit (No, Seriously, It's Called 'Legit')

And while lesser writers would allow themselves to venture off into meanspiritedness with the muscular dystrophy storyline, Legit takes the high road and plays it real — maybe even too real. Jefferies, who also writes the show, never pulls any punches when discussing the unfortunate muscle disease. From having no choice but to be wiped after going to the bathroom to the fact that your life expectancy plummets, Jefferies lays it all out there. It’s sad, but true. In fact, that byline could apply to several storylines within the series.

Sad, but true.

In one episode from the first season, Jefferies literally masturbates his crippled friend while he’s attempting to have video sex with a woman online. That sentence is blatantly insane — I’m well aware. But, and I know this is hard to believe, the act is presented in such a manner that it comes across as quasi-sweet. Jim Jefferies loves his afflicted friend to the point where he’d do just about anything to make his life even remotely more enjoyable.

Even that.

Perhaps the reason for that inherent sincerity when dealing with the MD angle is that it cuts close to home for the Aussie comic. Jim Jefferies pulled the storyline from his real-life friendship with a man suffering from the condition.

And while some may have written off Qualls, whose most memorable role to date came in 2000’s Road Trip, this character is the role of a goddamn lifetime. Billy is unfortunately restricted in all aspects of life. He can’t move his hands. He can’t move his legs. He can’t get dressed. He can’t feed himself. But in the face of all that life-crushing adversity, we see him laugh. And even if that’s all he can do not to cry, Billy laughs nonetheless. It’s a gripping performance that’s deserving of far more adulation that I’ve thus far seen it receive.

Whether or not you admit it, there’s undeniable humor in pain, and never is that more evident than in this shamefully underrated series. It consistently walks a fine, fine line. Legit seamlessly blends heart-wrenching emotional heft with brilliantly calculated immaturity and, in my opinion, it does so better than any other show on TV today.

I’m well aware that there’s never been more out there to watch, be it on TV or online. But personally, as a television afficionado, I think it’d be a goddamn crime for Legit to continue go underappreciated. Shows far less deserving of praise routinely receive more of it than this awesomely different series. Go over to your DVR right now, search for Legit and then hit “record series.” Better yet, get the entire first season on DVD.